Once in a Blue Moon Academia (OBMA)

 The “Waqf” Controversy and the Silence on “Debutter” Property: A Case of Majoritarianism? The “Waqf” Controversy and the Silence on “Debutter” Property: A Case of Majoritarianism? Posted on 17th April, 2025 (GMT 18:58 hrs) ABSTRACT The article critiques the asymmetrical treatment of religious endowments in India, highlighting how Waqf properties—Muslim charitable endowments used for mosques, madrasas, graveyards, and other community purposes—have faced intense scrutiny, legal reforms, and public debates, while Hindu Debutter (or Devottara) properties, which serve similar religious functions and are fraught with similar disputes as Waqf, remain largely untouched. The article discusses the recent Waqf (Amendment) Act of 2025, renamed as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UWMEED) Act, which supposedly seeks to modernize and centralize the administration of over 870,000 Waqf properties under state-level Waqf Boards. Although issues like mismanagemen...

 Hitting the Economic Hitmen At the Time of Global Heating Hitting the Economic Hitmen At the Time of Global Heating Posted on 18th January, 2025 (GMT 09:55 hrs) DEBAPRASAD BANDYOPADHYAY ⤡ AKHAR BANDYOPADHYAY ⤡ ABSTRACT The article discusses the role of economic hitmen, as outlined by John Perkins, Eric Toussaint and other theorists, in manipulating developing nations for financial gain. These individuals exploit countries through excessive loans, leading to debt traps and policies favoring multinational corporations. The piece connects these actions to global economic institutions like the World Bank, IMF, and WTO, highlighting their influence in shaping neo-colonial economic systems. It also examines India’s neoliberal policies since the 1990s, citing key figures who facilitated these strategies. I. The Extortionist Trio and “Economic Hitmen” Toussaint’s (2007) book,  The World Bank: A Never Ending Coup D’état , showed the World Bank’s role in global economic “developme...